Molding machine for producing concrete products

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is directed to an improved concrete product, method for the formation thereof and a molding machine for producing simultaneously a plurality of concrete products of the same external geometric configuration in a horizontally maintained mold box movable between a concrete charging station and a troweling and tamping station. The mold box employed is an elongated rectangular open top and open ended box having the forms set in the box which define a plurality of similar cross sections of products. The ends of the mold box are closed by end plates of complemental configuration to the cross section of the mold cavity. One set of end plates are mounted to be moved out of the way when the molded product is to be removed from the mold box and the other set of end plates at the opposite end of the mold box are mounted to be rammed through the cavities of the mold box to eject the products molded on the bottom mold plate or plates.

United States Patent 1 91 1111 3,82 Heltzel July 16, 1974 MOLDING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING Primary Examiner- Spencer Overholser [76] Inventor: Robert E. Heltzel, 6922 Mines Rd.,

Warren, Ohio 44484 [22] Filed: June 16, I972 [2]] Appl. No.: 263,447

[52] US. Cl 425/424, 264/334, 404/98, 425/442, 425/443 [51] Int. Cl B28b 1/00, B28b 7/10 [58] Field of Search 425/436, 441, 443, 444, 425/424, 62, DIG. 200, DIG. 201, 442; 264/334; 404/98; 164/71 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,663,063 12/1953 Van Loon 164/71 x 2,818,790 1/1958 Canfield et al. .Q 425/62 X 3,303,545 2/1967 Heitzman 425/441 X 3,304,592 2/1967 Fattirolli 249/162 X 3,407,457 10/1968 Blom 425/441 X 3,427,938 2/1969 Handy, Jr. et al. 3,635,131 1/1972 Larsen et al. 3,665,821 5/1972 Walker 425/62 X CONCRETE PRODUCTS Assistant Examine'r-Robert J. Craig Theibault l 5 7 ABSTRACT The present disclosure is directed to an improved concrete product, method for the formation thereof and a molding machine for producing simultaneously a plurality of concrete products of the same external geometric configuration in a horizontally maintained mold box movable between a concrete charging station and a troweling and tamping station. The mold box employed is an elongated rectangular open top and open ended box having the forms set in the box which define a plurality of similar cross sections of products. The ends of the mold box are closed by end plates of complemental configuration to the cross section of the mold cavity. One set of end plates are mounted to be moved out of the way when the molded product is to be removed from the mold box and the other set of end plates at the opposite end of the mold box are mounted to be rammed through the cavities of the mold box to eject the products molded on the bottom mold plate or plates.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUN 5 SHEET 1 01'' 5 FIG. 2

HORIZONTAL EJ ECT ION FROM MOLD BOX FINISHED PROD.

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TAMP

HORIZONTAL TRANS MOLD BOX PATENTEDJUHBW 3.824.059

sum 2 or 5 S H EEI 5 OF 5 PATENTEB JUL 1 61974 MOLDING MACHINE FOR' PRODUCING CONCRETE PRODUCTS An object of the present invention is to manufacture concrete products such as curbing sections, bumper blocks or other objects having regular surfaces across their cross section; which products have a uniform resistance to shear along their major axis and at any transverse or vertical plane through the objects.

A further object of the present invention is to provide concrete products of a uniform density across any horizontal plane measured vertically of major axis of the object cast and from end to end of the object.

A still further object of the present invention is a novel method for forming the concrete objects above described wherein the concrete is poured in an open top plural cavity mold having movable end walls and a bottom inthe form of a load transfer pallet upon which the objects rest during forming, finishing and curing after formation. The objects once cast by pouring the concrete into the mold from the top are pushed horizontally from the mold by one of the end walls of the mold after the other end wall has been moved clear of the mold. The major axis of the mold is always maintained in the horizontal plane which maintains the objects uniform density and preserves their constant uniform length over that attained by objects formed by processes or methods in which the molds have one end tilted vertically for charging as shown in the Van Loom US. Pat. No. 2,663,063 and the Heitzman US. Pat. No. 3,303,545. After pouring the mold is moved horizontally to a finishing station where it is vibrated and tamped and then the objects case are pushed from the mold and the side walls of the mold impart a finishing troweling action to the objects as they are pushed from the mold as they rest upon a pallet which forms not only the bottom of the casting mold but also acts as a support conveyor for the objects cast as they advance through the process.

An object of the present invention is the continuous molding of a plurality of concrete products simultaneously each having the same cross sectional configuration, that is a geometrically regular body-sov that one setof mold box end plates can be mounted on a ram and pushed horizontally through the mold box to eject a plurality of similar products molded in the mold box.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new mold box having an open top and ends and within which are set up the plates which define a plurality of mold cavities, the main axes of which are all parallel to one another so a single ram carrying one set of mold box end plates may be driven through the mold box to eject a molded product once the other set of end plates have been removed from the path of travel of the molded articles.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a machine for use in the multiple or single continuous manufacture of flat walled concrete articles which are pored and finished in a horizontal plane and pushed out of one end of the mold box.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an open top, open ended mold box with forms of fabrication of concrete members the end walls and top of said mold box cooperating with the sequence of forming from closing the ends of the mold box, charging the mold box, moving it to a troweling and tamping station where the top of the mold box goes into place and at which station after vibration and consolidation a set of end plates connected to a ram pushes the articles from the mold box and the box is returned to the charging station for going through another cycle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an object or product of the present invention cast in accordance with the process of the present invention upon a machine which forms part of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the method or process for forming the product of FIG.v l which is in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a molding machine constructed in accordance with the present invention with the mold box at the troweling and tamping section.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the molded article ejection ram and plates in the fully discharged position.

FIG. 8 is a vertical transverse view taken on the lines 8-8 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a vertical transverse section taken on the lines 9-9 in FIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 1, A designates a product constructed in accordance with the present invention which by way of example is a curb section having a bottom B, top C and side walls D and E. All walls are of regular shape to permit pushing the product horizontally through the mold during formation thereof. The plane F, G, H, I is the horizontal plane along the major axis, along which plane the product has a uniform resistance to shear. The plane J, K, L, M is the vertical plane which is at right angles to the horizontal plane through which the density of the product may vary but at along all points falling in the horizontal plane the product density is uniform.

The process flow diagram is shown in FIG. 2 wherein the product is cast in an open top mold, horizontally transferred to a finishing station and horizontally ejected from the mold.

Referring now to the drawings and for the moment to FIG. 5, l0 designates generally a structural frame which supports a cement hopper ll fed from a conveyor 12. The cement is metered through a gated feed 13 having vibrators l4 thereon. The mold box 15 is movable from the cement charging station shown in solid lines to the troweling and tamping station 16 shown in chain lines.

The mold box 15 is mounted on a carriage frame 17 movable back and forth on the frame 10 by an endless chain drive 18.

As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 9, the mold box 15 has a plurality of open top, open ended cavities 19 which are defined by plates 20. As shown in FIG. 9 the cavities are formed to produce curbing.

Two sets of end plates 21 and 22 define the end closures for the mold box 15. Plates 21 are mounted on the base 23 of a U shaped member the legs of which 24, 25 are pivoted to the mold box 15 at 26, 27. The U shaped member is raised and lowered by cylinder and ram units 28. The end plates or pusher plates 22 are mounted on a ram assembly 29 which drives them through the mold box 15 to eject the molded curbing sections from the mold box when formation of the article has taken place at the troweling and tamping station 16. The mold box 15 has vibrators 30, driven by a motor 31.

Located at the troweling and tamping station 16 are plates 32 which form the tops of the mold cavities when the mold box carriage has been moved from the solid cement charging position in FIG. to the chain line position at the left of FIG. 5. Vibrators 33 act'upon the supporting structure for the top plates 32 so that the entire mold imparts a finishing vibration to the articles being formed within the mold box cavities.

IN OPERATION With the mold box set up with plates to define the configuration of the articles to be molded the carriage 17 is moved to the cement charging station beneath the gated feed 13 and with the pusher plates 22 all the way to the right in FIG. 7 closing that end of the mold box and end plates 21 carried by the U shaped member seated as shown in FIG. 6, the mold box is then charged with concrete. Vibrators 30 driven by motor 31 are set in operation and the articles to be formed start to take, shape.

The mold box carriage frame 17 under control of endless chain drive 18 then shifts the mold box 15 from the solid line position at the right in FIG. 5 to the chain line position at the left of FIG. 5. As the mold box 15 passes beneath the top plates 32 the concrete within the mold box 15 is fully confined and an initial troweling action has been imparted to each concrete member within the mold box. The machine is then in the position shown in FIG. 3. Cylinder and ram units 28, 29

then raise the U-shaped member as shown in FIG. 4,

which raises the end plates 21 clear of the mold cavities 19 so that upon actuation of ram assembly 29 the pusher end plates 22 pass through the mold cavities 19, from right to left in FlGS. 6 and 7 to eject a plurality of molded products from the mold box 15 which are carried on pallets (not shown) which ride on the ram assembly and which form the bottom of the mold box 15. In moving the end pusher plates through the mold cavity the mold plates 20 have a trowel like action on the finished molded product.

The time cycle for charging the mold box 15 with ce ment and the tamping which includes vibrating, and troweling action at the discharge end of the machine will vary dependent upon type of mix and slump characteristics as well as mold shapes to form a variety of concrete molded products such as curb and guttering, parking bumpers, etc.

The actuation of the various drives or carriages, vibrators, cylinder and ram units as well as the ejector ram are well known to those skilled in the art and donot constitute part of this invention. They may be electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic and sequencing may vary so that the machine could be manually controlled rather than automatic.

What is claimed is:

l. A molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete comprising a. a first support means,

b. concrete charging means supported on said first support means, I

c. finishing means supported on a second support means and being spaced fromsaid concrete charging means,

d. an open top, open ended mold box carried on said second support means and being movable between said concrete charging means and said finishing means,

e. a first set of end plates for one end of said mold box and being movable to clear the cavity opening at that end of said mold box,

f. a second set of end plates for the other end of said mold box and being movable through the entire length of the mold cavities in said box,

g. means carried by said second support means and connected to said mold box to move said mold box between said concrete charging means and said finishing means, and

h. means carried by said mold box and connected to said second set of end plates connected to drive said plates through the mold cavities to eject the molded articles.

2. A molding machineas claimed in claim 1 wherein said concrete charging means comprises a gated hopper positioned to charge said open topped mold box therebeneath.

3. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said finishing means comprises at least a portion of the top of the mold box cavities which acts to trowel the top surface of the concrete member being molded as the mold box moves through or into the finishing means.

4. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mold box is a plural cavity box comprising sides, open ends and an open top, said'sides acting as article forming plates upstanding from said mold box :and vibrating means to vibrate concrete into the cross section configuration defined between said article forming plates.

5. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first set of end plates are mounted on an end plate carrier which maintains each end plate in registry with the discharge end of each cavity of the mold box and said end plate carrier is pivoted to the sides of the mold box for up and down movement to clear the discharge end of the mold cavities of the mold box.

6. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second set of end plates are complemental to the first set of end plates and are mounted on a ram for movement entirely through the cavities of the mold box to eject the articles being molded in said box.

7. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means connected to drive said mold box between said charging station and said finishing station is an endless chain drive connected to said mold box.

8. For use with a molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete and having a concrete charging station and a finishing station; a molding station comprising a. a plural cavity mold box having sides, and open top and ends,

b. a first set of end plates being mounted to be moved clear of one end of said mold box,

c. a second set of end plates being mounted to be rammed through the cavities of said mold box toward said first set of plates, and

d. ejection means connected to drive said second set of plates through the cavities of said mold box when said mold box is at the finishing station with the first set of end plates clear of said mold box to eject the molded concrete products from the mold box.

9. A mold station as claimed in claim 8 wherein the vertical cross sectional area of each cavity is complemental to the perimeter of each plate of said first and second sets of plates.

10. A mold station as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mold box is rectangular and the major axis of each cavity of the mold box is parallel to the major axis of the mold box.

11. A mold station as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first set of end plates are carried by the base portion of a U-shaped member and said member at its free ends is pivoted to the sides of the mold box to move said first set of plates clear of the mold cavities.

12. A mold station as claimed in claim 11 wherein said ejection means for driving said second set of plates through the cavities of the mold box is a hydraulic cylinder and ram.

13. A molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete comprising a. a first frame,

b. concrete charging means supported on said first frame,

c. finishing means supported on said first frame and being spaced from said concrete charging means,

d. an open top, open ended plural cavity mold box frame carried by said first frame and being movable between said concrete charging means and said fin ishing means,

e. a first set of end plates for'one of said mold box and being movable to clear the cavity openings at that end of said mold box,

f. a second set of end plates for the other end of said mold box and being movable through the entire length of the mold cavities in said box,

g. means carried by said first frame and connected to said mold box to move said mold box between said concrete charging means and said finishing, and

h. means carried by said mold box frame and connected to said second set of end plates connected to drive said plates through the mold cavities to eject the molded articles.

14. A molding machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the mold box frame defines a substantially rectangular box both vertically and horizontally and the mold cavities extend from end to end of the box with their axes parallel to the major axis of the mold box.

15. A molding machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said finishing means are troweling and tamping means forming the top of the mold box when said mold box has been moved thereto. 

1. A molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete comprising a. a first support means, b. concrete charging means supported on said first support means, c. finishing means supported on a second support means and being spaced from said concrete charging means, d. an open top, open ended mold box Carried on said second support means and being movable between said concrete charging means and said finishing means, e. a first set of end plates for one end of said mold box and being movable to clear the cavity opening at that end of said mold box, f. a second set of end plates for the other end of said mold box and being movable through the entire length of the mold cavities in said box, g. means carried by said second support means and connected to said mold box to move said mold box between said concrete charging means and said finishing means, and h. means carried by said mold box and connected to said second set of end plates connected to drive said plates through the mold cavities to eject the molded articles.
 2. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said concrete charging means comprises a gated hopper positioned to charge said open topped mold box therebeneath.
 3. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said finishing means comprises at least a portion of the top of the mold box cavities which acts to trowel the top surface of the concrete member being molded as the mold box moves through or into the finishing means.
 4. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mold box is a plural cavity box comprising sides, open ends and an open top, said sides acting as article forming plates upstanding from said mold box and vibrating means to vibrate concrete into the cross section configuration defined between said article forming plates.
 5. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first set of end plates are mounted on an end plate carrier which maintains each end plate in registry with the discharge end of each cavity of the mold box and said end plate carrier is pivoted to the sides of the mold box for up and down movement to clear the discharge end of the mold cavities of the mold box.
 6. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second set of end plates are complemental to the first set of end plates and are mounted on a ram for movement entirely through the cavities of the mold box to eject the articles being molded in said box.
 7. A molding machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means connected to drive said mold box between said charging station and said finishing station is an endless chain drive connected to said mold box.
 8. For use with a molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete and having a concrete charging station and a finishing station; a molding station comprising a. a plural cavity mold box having sides, and open top and ends, b. a first set of end plates being mounted to be moved clear of one end of said mold box, c. a second set of end plates being mounted to be rammed through the cavities of said mold box toward said first set of plates, and d. ejection means connected to drive said second set of plates through the cavities of said mold box when said mold box is at the finishing station with the first set of end plates clear of said mold box to eject the molded concrete products from the mold box.
 9. A mold station as claimed in claim 8 wherein the vertical cross sectional area of each cavity is complemental to the perimeter of each plate of said first and second sets of plates.
 10. A mold station as claimed in claim 9 wherein said mold box is rectangular and the major axis of each cavity of the mold box is parallel to the major axis of the mold box.
 11. A mold station as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first set of end plates are carried by the base portion of a U-shaped member and said member at its free ends is pivoted to the sides of the mold box to move said first set of plates clear of the mold cavities.
 12. A mold station as claimed in claim 11 wherein said ejection means for driving said second set of plates through the cavities of the mold box is a hydraulic cylinder and ram.
 13. A molding machine for fabricating concrete members for use with a supply of concrete comprising a. a first frame, b. concrete charging means supported on said first frame, c. finishing means supported on said first frame and being spaced from said concrete charging means, d. an open top, open ended plural cavity mold box frame carried by said first frame and being movable between said concrete charging means and said finishing means, e. a first set of end plates for one of said mold box and being movable to clear the cavity openings at that end of said mold box, f. a second set of end plates for the other end of said mold box and being movable through the entire length of the mold cavities in said box, g. means carried by said first frame and connected to said mold box to move said mold box between said concrete charging means and said finishing, and h. means carried by said mold box frame and connected to said second set of end plates connected to drive said plates through the mold cavities to eject the molded articles.
 14. A molding machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the mold box frame defines a substantially rectangular box both vertically and horizontally and the mold cavities extend from end to end of the box with their axes parallel to the major axis of the mold box.
 15. A molding machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein said finishing means are troweling and tamping means forming the top of the mold box when said mold box has been moved thereto. 